The invention relates to a continuously-operating separating device for separating liquids and solids, comprising a carrier belt trained round guide rollers and provided with channels running in roughly a transverse direction, at least one drive roller, a filter belt supported by the carrier belt, with at least one suction box placed on the side of the carrier belt, wherein the carrier belt extends at the sides into a continuous slot in the side casing and the top surface and the bottom surface of the carrier belt are sealed relative to the edges of the continuous slot.
In a device known from Netherlands publication 8303016, sealing of the carrier belt relative to the laterally placed suction box is achieved by a specific sealing construction. Thus given as one solution is a flexible connection between an outer wall of the suction box and the side end face of the carrier belt. In this proposed solution the carrier belt is situated wholly outside the connecting slot in the suction box.
According to another solution a special design of the suction box is applied such that a part connects to the side end face of the carrier belt with interposing of a flexible seal and another part connects to the upper surface of a thickened portion of the carrier belt. Here also the carrier belt is situated outside the suction box.
Finally, yet another solution consists of causing the carrier belt to protrude a short distance into the suction box, wherein the top and bottom sides are then sealed relative to the wall of the suction box by flexible seals.
Such seals allow of only a very small variation in the position of the carrier belt relative to the suction box. Particularly in the case of larger separating devices such seals cannot be used because the dimensional variations in the width dimension of the carrier belt can be relatively large as seen in longitudinal direction. During separation of solids and liquids at high temperature there is, in addition, a temperature progression along the length of the carrier belt such that the expansion of the carrier belt is not everywhere the same. It is further not possible, particularly in the case of longer and wider belts, to carry the belts in one line over the rollers. Lateral shifts occur frequently in practice.
The invention has for its object to provide a solution to these problems.